Disability News Digest: "Down's Syndrome Awareness Week 2023"
I’m Raul Krauthausen the founder of SOZIALHELD*INNEN, an NPO and consultancy from Germany, focussing on Disability Mainstreaming. With this newsletter, I share hand-picked links from around the world.
If you enjoy this newsletter, please forward this email to your friends! 🙏
Questions? Tips? Suggestions?
Thank you,
Raul
My new book!
In this book, I raise fundamental questions about inclusion in Germany. In conversations with experts, we sketch out an idea of how inclusion can work together at all levels.
The first readings are already scheduled and I can't wait to finally get back into dialogue with you!
Hand-picked news about inclusion, accessibilty and innovation
Airbnb Introduces New Adapted Listings To Support Accessible Travel (babyboomer.org)
Airbnb’s new ‘adapted’ category includes some ‘magical’ homes.
Video and Audio Recording of Feminism, Ableism, and MAiD (biopoliticalphilosophy.com)
The video and audio recordings of the outstanding symposium, “Feminism, Ableism, and Medical Assistance in Dying,” which took place last week as part of the Feminist Legal Studies Lecture Series at Peter A. Allard School of Law, UBC, are now available.
NDIS provider pursued financial growth over client safety, disability inquiry finds (theguardian.com)
Royal commission also criticises federal disability watchdog for its handling of complaints centred on provider Afford.
Cyberbullying Faced by New Disabled Parents (disabledparenting.com)
We need to talk about the online response to two new high-profile disabled parents.
Lost Voice Guy: I'm Only in it for Parking (itv.com)
This debut hour of cutting edge material combines the political and personal with razor-sharp observations about disability and daily life.
Metavorhabens Inklusive Bildung (forschung-inklusive-bildung.de)
Herzlich Willkommen auf der Online-Plattform zur Information und Vernetzung zum Thema inklusive Bildung einem Angebot des Metavorhabens Inklusive Bildung – gefördert vom Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung.
Mediability Promo Short (youtube.com)
Mediabilitiy.pro Marketing Agency Lookbook featuring disabled actors, models, athletes, speakers and other media professionals from around the world.
War forces thousands of disabled Ukrainians into institutions (washingtonpost.com)
Thousands of disabled Ukrainians, many of them elderly, are being institutionalized after being displaced by the war. Social service providers are overwhelmed.
Meet the Stamford woman devoted to ending restraint and seclusion (ctinsider.com)
Latisha Johnson, whose son Christian was frequently restrained and secluded, is among the...
The new Lego Friends characters have physical and invisible disabilities. Here's why parents and experts say that matters. (yahoo.com)
Playing with inclusive toys has benefits for kids whether they have a disability or not, experts say.
Get the Real Story on Developmental Disability Awareness (meriahnichols.com)
Learn about developmental disability awareness through these insightful interviews with experts in the field and find out why they will not stop!
Durable Accommodations: A Story of Accessibility, Struggles, & Love (dianapastoracarson.com)
This article is about Joaquin Carson, a 53-year-old autistic man, and his family, and a life-challenging access need. I am his sister Diana Pastora Carson, writing with his permission to share this story. 11 years ago, our family won a 3-year court battle and was able to bring my brother home from 15 years of institutionalization. Joaquin continues to heal from the physical and emotional wounds inflicted on him during his many years of segregation and dehumanization.
What are the major benefits of group therapy for the treatment of anxiety? (urevolution.com)
Thinking of starting group therapy? These are some of the benefits of group therapy for the treatment of anxiety.
Monash funds $3m for epilepsy drug trial (disabilityinsider.com)
Epilepsy affects over 150,000 Australians, and 50 million globally, with one-third struggling to control their condition with currently available anti-seizure medications. These patients with drug-resistant epilepsy have high rates of disability, mental health and thinking problems, and injury and death rates.
Newsom proposes bond measure, sweeping mental health reform in California (latimes.com)
Gov. Gavin Newsom calls for sweeping mental health reforms to generate billions for behavioral health facilities throughout California.
Americans divided over whether pre-Covid normal will return (nbcnews.com)
There are significant partisan, gender and socioeconomic divides when it comes to Covid outlooks.
A letter to my loved ones about COVID-19: You've moved on, but I'm still here (eu.usatoday.com)
Three years after COVID-19 hit I'm still afraid – and angry. People are still dying from the pandemic. Why is everybody moving on?
GPT-4's new capabilities power a 'virtual volunteer' for the visually impaired (techcrunch.com)
Be My Eyes, an app that lets blind folks ask people to describe what they see, is getting a 'virtual volunteer' for AI-powered help any time.
In Florida, showing mental health struggles could get a child detained (washingtonpost.com)
Advocates say the Baker Act, designed a measure of last resort, is not used that way. The result: Kindergarteners can be forcibly committed to psych centers for exams.
Long COVID linked to higher mortality rates and long-term heart problems, new study finds (euronews.com)
New research reveals the alarming effects of long COVID, including higher mortality rates and long-term health risks including heart problems.
'I'm blind and an amazing mum - my biggest challenge isn't that I can't see' (mirror.co.uk)
Dr Amy Kavanagh opens up about life as a mum with a visual impairment and the obstacles she faces daily - from reading her initial pregnancy test results to attending regular baby health checks.
Covid Politics Leave a Florida Public Hospital Shaken (nytimes.com)
Staff members of Sarasota Memorial Hospital are bewildered by critics who continue to wage a campaign against federal guidelines on Covid treatment.
Beyond 6 Seconds: Neurodivergence and Giftedness – with Emily Kircher-Morris (sites.libsyn.com)
After working as a gifted education teacher, Emily Kircher-Morris became a clinical mental health counselor who supports gifted and twice-exceptional (gifted + neurodivergent) children. She is also the host of The Neurodiversity Podcast and the author of several books, including "Teaching Twice-Exceptional Learners in Today's Classroom" and the revised edition of "A Parent's Guide to Gifted Children." She has three neurodivergent children and is neurodivergent herself.
Down's Syndrome Awareness Week 2023 (dancesyndrome.co.uk)
Down’s Syndrome Awareness Week is a national campaign to help people to understand what life is like for people who have Down’s syndrome.
A winter of the mind: how to escape survival mode (theguardian.com)
For many of us, it has been a cold and traumatic year. But, as one reader found, difficult times can lead to new and revolutionary ways of thinking.
Why is depression considered hard to treat? (urevolution.com)
Clinicians, researchers, and health experts have been trying to identify the best treatment for depression for at least two decades without finding an answer. This is why depression too often gets deemed as too hard to treat.
An Interview with Raw Material Mixtape Podcaster-in-Residence Alice Wong (sfmoma.org)
For this season of Raw Material, SFMOMA is collaborating with activist, writer, mischief- and media-maker, and self-described “cyborg oracle” Alice Wong to share five episodes from her Disability Visibility podcast that bring listeners to the intersection of art and disability.
El cripwashing de la Guardia Nacional en el Metro de la CdMX (yotambien.mx)
Las críticas a la presencia de militares detonó una campaña en redes para ‘limpiar’ esa percepción, donde los uniformados se muestran apoyando a pcd.
Disabled people begin protest in Polish parliament seeking rise in benefits to level of minimum wage (notesfrompoland.com)
Disabled adults receive an allowance of 1,588.44 zloty (€339.06) a month before tax, less than half the statutory minimum wage.
Show Me the Money: Marching Together for Accessible and Inclusive Currency (acb.org)
Nearly 5 decades of broken promises to the blind and low vision community has left the United States an outlier in the developed world – the only country whose paper currency is inaccessible to those with disabilities. But together we can push the Biden Administration and US Treasury to put us on a course to accessible and inclusive currency for all.
We Need Your Voice (nationaldisabilityinstitute.org)
We're gathering feedback from one-on-one interviews to better understand the financial health of Americans with disabilities.
The Alzheimer’s Crisis in Indian Country (newrepublic.com)
The disease is growing exponentially among elders.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams is telling stores to have customers remove their face masks (npr.org)
"We are putting out a clear call to all of our shops: Do not allow people to enter the store without taking off their face mask," the mayor said. A flurry of questions ensued.
Mercyhurst University student whose unattended wheelchair was pushed down stairs hopes incident can bring change (abcnews.go.com)
Sydney Benes, whose unattended wheelchair was pushed down stairs in a viral video, hopes her story can be used for change and be an advocate for others in her situation.
Vicious Attack on Black Autistic Teen Has Us Questioning Humanity (theroot.com)
The New York subway incident has resulted in one arrest.
Who killed Paris Moffett? Paralyzed man shot dead at Oakland care facility (newsweek.com)
Police said two men entered the long-term care facility in Oakland, California, and shot the 23-year-old in his room.
California enters a contract to make its own affordable insulin (npr.org)
Under the $50 million deal, the state is partnering with drugmaker Civica to start making the new generic insulin later this year, Gov. Gavin Newsom said.
Congress Could Make Waiting Lists For Disability Services A Thing Of The Past (disabilityscoop.com)
A proposal in Congress would do away with Medicaid's institutional bias and guarantee people with developmental disabilities access to services in the community.
In Historic Shift, State Looks To Abolish Subminimum Wage (disabilityscoop.com)
Reflecting a growing trend nationally, lawmakers in the state with the highest percentage of people with disabilities earning less than minimum wage are working to put an end to the practice.
CALL FOR CHAPTER PROPOSALS: NEUROQUEER THEORY BOOK (neuroqueer.com)
A couple of major academic publishers have recently approached me about putting together a Neuroqueer Theory anthology. I’ve taken this as a good indicator that the time is ripe for such a thing—though I’ve decided to publish it through the worker-owned indie publishing collective Autonomous Press (of which I’m a founding member), because academic publishing is a scam and I want the book to be affordable to college students.
Doctors, pharmacists afraid to prescribe opioids for pain relief (sfchronicle.com)
People living with chronic pain say it's increasingly difficult to get prescription opioids.
Disneyland Reopens Completely Redesigned, More Inclusive Toontown (diverseabilitymagazine.com)
We made Toontown more inclusive, approachable and appealing to those that may have more sensitive auditory, visual processing and other disabilities.
"Revolution of easy (to understand)" (inclusion-europe.eu)
Milan Šveřepa was invited to speak at a conference by Plena inclusión, Spain. The conference was about cognitive accessibility. Cognitive accessibility is making sure people can understand information. Milan shares some of his impressions and thoughts from the conference.
The Disability Collective (thedisabilitycollective.com)
The Disability Collective is a not-for-profit organization and community of disabled artists dedicated to celebrating and showcasing disability in the arts. TDC strives to de-stigmatize disability and challenge perceptions of what disability looks like through promoting disabled artists in a variety of forms.
Congress Could Make Waiting Lists For Disability Services A Thing Of The Past (disabilityscoop.com)
A proposal in Congress would do away with Medicaid's institutional bias and guarantee people with developmental disabilities access to services in the community.
Texas Shorts winner ‘Breaking Silence’ casts light on deaf incarcerated (spectrumlocalnews.com)
“Breaking Silence” won the Texas Short Jury Award.
Citing staffing issues and political climate, North Idaho hospital will no longer deliver babies (idahocapitalsun.com)
Idaho's Bonner General Health, the only hospital in Sandpoint, announced that it no longer has the staff to deliver babies.
Review: XBOX Series X, including Accessibility impressions (victordima.net)
Hello everyone! Today I have a very special article waiting for you. Those of you who follow me on social media or on Patreon already know that two weeks ago the nice people at Xbox Nordics have sent me a brand new Xbox Series X, a Limited Edition Forza Horizon 5 controller and a voucher for one year of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership. Of course, I am forever grateful for the opportunity to start this partnership and I am looking forward to creating content based on my experience with these awesome products.
Accessible but never boring (wise.design)
Wise Design is the Wise design system. It helps our team create a distinct, accessible and consistent Wise experience that works for everyone, everywhere.
A step-by-step guide for Dragon Users - Part 1 (udemy.com)
How to dictate text at speeds of 120 words a minute - in less than 60 minutes!
20 Useful Apps for Kids with Dyslexia and Learning Disabilities (wizcase.com)
Children with learning disabilities face unique struggles in education. These apps are an excellent starting point, especially for parents of younger children.
How eBay Made Its New Accessibility Tool — And Made It Available to All (tech.ebayinc.com)
Several eBay teams worked together to create a plug-in that makes it easy to include accessibility in a design right from the start.
New GPT-4 app can be ‘life-changing (thenextweb.com)
Be My Eyes is the first digital visual assistant powered by OpenAI's headline-grabbing GPT-4 model.
AV Essentials: a guide to assistive listening technology (avinteractive.com)
Assistive audio is the lifeline that connects people with hearing loss to the wider world, and a vital part of ensuring that workspaces and public places are accessible to all, writes Paul Bray.
TransPennine Express launches two new innovations to make rail travel more accessible for customers (news.railbusinessdaily.com)
TransPennine Express (TPE) has launched two new tech innovations that will make rail travel more accessible for passengers who are blind, visually TransPennine Express (TPE) has launched two new tech innovations that will make rail travel more accessible for passengers who are blind, visually impaired, autistic or anxious.
The Question We Ask as Our Children With Disabilities Grow (themighty.com)
"When our oldest started high school, I found myself hesitating to email his teachers."
Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month 2023: Supporting Kids With Developmental Disabilities (kit.org)
Are you interested in how your organization can work towards being more inclusive of kids with developmental disabilities? Take a look at our full article here.
AXSChat Podcast (axschat.buzzsprout.com)
AXSChat Podcast with John Hicks, Atos Head of Accessibility & Digital Inclusion for France
Introduction to the Duty to Accommodate People with Disabilities (youtube.com)
Lecture by Osgoode Hall Law School visiting professor David Lepofsky: "Duty to Accommodate People with Disabilities 101 – An Introduction to the Duty to Accommodate People with Disabilities in Canadian Law."
Microsoft Enables ChatGPT To Bring Real World Accessibility Through Robots (insidexpress.com)
Last week, Microsoft researchers announced an experimental framework to control robots and drones using the language abilities of ChatGPT, a popular AI language model created by OpenAI. Using natural language commands, ChatGPT can write special code that controls robot movements. A human then views the results and adjusts as necessary until the task gets completed successfully.
Hull tests smart tech for bus stops and crossings (ukauthority.com)
Hull City Council has begun a trial of smart technology aimed at making its bus stops and pedestrian crossings easier to use for people with visual impairments and other disabilities.
Introduction to Cognitive Disability and Accessibility Testing (tpgi.com)
Read an overview about how the web can be inaccessible for people with cognitive disabilities and how accessibility testing can help.
Over 14,000 people in England and Wales died with Covid after hospital infection (mirror.co.uk)
Over 14,000 people in England and Wales died with Covid after catching the virus in hospital - these were all people who had attended for another reason, be it surgery, cancer treatment, or following an accident.
DanceSyndrome Animated Magazine Feature (dancesyndrome.co.uk)
As they celebrate 10 years as a charity, Sue & Jen Blackwell, the mother/daughter duo who formed DanceSyndrome, share their journey with Animated magazine.
GitHub celebrates the ingenuity of developers with disabilities in new video series (github.blog)
Learn how developers with disabilities are pushing the boundaries of accessibility with ingenuity, open source, and generative AI on The ReadME Project.
‘Heartless’ reforms to disability benefits ‘defy logic’ (disabilitynewsservice.com)
“Heartless” government reforms that will eventually scrap the “fitness for work” assessment “defy logic” and pose significant risks to sick and disabled people who cannot work, say activists who have fought for years to highlight the test’s fatal flaws.
Inclusive Language Guide - Oxfam Policy & Practice (policy-practice.oxfam.org)
Language has the power to reinforce or deconstruct systems of power that maintain poverty, inequality and suffering. As we are making commitments to decolonization in practice, it is important that we do not forget the role of language and communications in the context of inequality.
‘Inclusion is a family’: Arsenal’s sign language change is spreading the love (theguardian.com)
The incorporation of British Sign Language at the Emirates is life-changing for deaf fans. Every club should follow suit.
Mr. Premier, do you care? (abilities.ca)
Francis knows they work harder than their colleagues at work, often putting in extra hours over lunch or in the evening. Despite this, Francis performs at the same level as their colleagues. Francis has dyslexia. It takes them considerably longer to read work documents than most others. The solution that will equip Francis to work as efficiently as their colleagues is relatively simple: a screen reading program that will equip them to listen to, rather than read, the large volume of documents at work. Yet there are two problems. First, to access this technology, Francis must disclose their disability to their employer. They, like hundreds of millions of others with invisible disabilities globally, know that doing so often leads to the perception they are less effective than their colleagues. This will work against their upward mobility. Second, even if Francis is provided with screen reading technology, most documents are poorly constructed for screen reader use. This is despite over 17 years of legislation promoting accessibility in Ontario. Francis thus avoids disclosing their disability, does not receive the technology that would allow them to meet or exceed the productivity of their peers, and struggles to have their extra effort for the same result rewarded in the workplace.
Türkiye and Syria 3/17/2023 Update - World Institute on Disability (wid.org)
In the weeks since the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, government agencies have not made resources available to meet the needs of disabled survivors, and there are no policies that directly address their disability and accessibility related needs and support their inclusion throughout response, recovery, and reconstruction. The need is tremendous, but so is the expertise of the local disability-led organizations (DLO). They need partners and supporters to join them in their work to meet the urgent needs of their community. Disabled people in this region, and the DLOs who are assisting them need allies around the globe. GADRA’s rapid response Emergency Operations Center has received many applications for assistance and has selected four outstanding disability-led organizations who need resources immediately and in the difficult months ahead. GADRA stands with these organizations, and is conducting a global search to connect them with the resources and support they have requested.
Rocking down the electric avenue! (ablemagazine.co.uk)
I’m not afraid to admit, I’m a bit of a hypocrite! About a year ago, I wrote an article about how wheelchairs are liberating and how people often feel that they don’t want to use a one out of a fear of ‘looking or feeling more disabled’.
EE and BT Sport present Ep2 of New Signing - Chelsea v Fulham (ablemagazine.co.uk)
The series follows the journey of two British Sign Language users as they train with BT Sport this season, working toward presenting on BT Sport broadcast events including the UEFA Champions League Final, marking a major commitment to making football more accessible by BT Sport and EE.
New rules on voter ID could become a barrier between disabled people and the democratic process (ablemagazine.co.uk)
With local elections in May 2023, it’s time for anyone registered to vote to make sure they have an acceptable form of identification (ID), or face being turned away from polling stations.
Sproutflix (sproutflix.org)
Sproutflix, founded in 2009, hosts the largest and most diverse collection of films featuring people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) on the marketplace. With over 280 titles, Sproutflix hopes to reinforce accurate portrayals of individuals within this community, help breakdown stereotypes and promote a greater acceptance of differences and awareness of similarities. We believe film can inspire, inform and spark change.
Look the Part (sproutflix.org)
Sam is a cleaner working in a large theatre who has a passion to be a dancer, but is too shy to realize her dreams. When Peaches (her magical inner-diva-cum-drag queen) materializes on one night, Sam’s dreams transform into reality. She rips up a daring dance-number, to the rhythm of The Cat Empire’s beats. “Look The Part” shows us that talent comes in all shapes and sizes, and can often defy expectations.
Why is there hostility towards describing autism as a superpower? (ablemagazine.co.uk)
Media coverage of autism seems to have become far more positive in recent years. The inclination to view it in a purely pejorative sense certainly has not gone away but it does appear to be less prevalent.
Finding My Community (ablemagazine.co.uk)
As I’ve got older, I’ve become more aware that I am quite alienated from the disability community. After realising this I wanted to fix it and embrace my disabled identity more. However, it’s harder to find a defined community with disability being such a broad spectrum – and geographically, the community aren’t all in the same place; so using social media, I embarked on a mission to find my people.
Remembering Judy Heumann: ‘Changing the Face of Disability in Media’ (documentary.org)
Over the past week, IDA collected tributes to Judith "Judy" Heumann from those who knew her and were influenced, advised, or galvanized by her disability rights activism, mentorship, and relational world-building. These written memorials are introduced by Jim LeBrecht, who wrote a piece that places Judy's interest in documentary film and the representation of people with disabilities in context within our nonfiction film ecosystem.
Model 'exposes' controversial designer's body-shaming environment during fashion show fitting: 'This is insane to me' (uk.news.yahoo.com)
Controversial German fashion designer Philipp Plein is in hot water again after a model accused him and his staff of body-shaming her during a recent fitting.
World Down Syndrome Day (worlddownsyndromeday.org)
For WDSD 2023, the Down Syndrome International network is campaigning for the right to legal capacity. They will be live from the United Nations on 21 March, discussing this important subject.
Woody Harrelson Can Play Anyone. It’s Being Himself That’s Hard. (nytimes.com)
Actor Woody Harrelson, who just starred in "Champions" with a group of actors with intellectual disabilities, doesn't understand that his anti-mask mandate, anti-vaccine mandate views could harm his co-stars. He told The New York Times that he believes on set Covid protocols are absurd: "The fact that they’re still going on! I don’t think that anybody should have the right to demand that you’re forced to do the testing, forced to wear the mask and forced to get vaccinated three years on. I’m just like, Let’s be done with this nonsense. It’s not fair to the crews. I don’t have to wear the mask. Why should they? Why should they have to be vaccinated? How’s that not up to the individual? I shouldn’t be talking about this [expletive]. It makes me angry for the crew. The anarchist part of me, I don’t feel that we should have forced testing, forced masking and forced vaccination. That’s not a free country." He also doesn't understand that the unions of members of the film crews fought for Covid safety protocols on set and wanted them to continue, but Covid protocols go away in the U.S. entertainment industry April 1, 2023.
Commentary: The ripple effect of our home health staffing crisis (timesunion.com)
The whole medical system feels the effects of a shortage of home health care workers.
Why You Can't Skip Accessibility When Marketing on Social (adweek.com)
Brands could be missing out on nearly a quarter of their audience.
'Nowhere for him to go': Ontario parents of son with autism struggling to find care (toronto.citynews.ca)
An Ontario couple is frustrated by a lack of options for their son with autism, who has spent the last eight months in the psychiatric unit.
How Selma Blair Is Helping to Make Shopping Easier for People with Disabilities (people.com)
QVC named actress Selma Blair, who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2018, its Brand Ambassador for Accessibility.
The Creator Economy: Democratizing Access to Employment for Disabled People (rollingstone.com)
For many Disabled people, traditional employment opportunities can be limited due to physical, communication, attitudinal and social barriers.
Artist Conversations (3arts.org)
The Disability Culture Leadership Initiative (DCLI) includes online video conversations and in-person convenings with Deaf and disabled artists in Chicago. The participants are alumni of the 3Arts/Bodies of Work Residency Fellowships, a program that is centered on the creation of new work, professional development, and advocacy for Disability Arts & Culture.
Judy Heumann helped so many of us with disabilities to be out and proud (washingtonblade.com)
‘Like the color of my eyes or the color of my hair, it is a part of who I am’.
Inside the Private Group Where Parents Give Ivermectin to Kids With Autism (vice.com)
“I have been applying Ivermectin liquid to my granddaughter’s feet, belly button, and swabbing her ears for six weeks now. She complains of sporadic blurry vision and sometimes headaches.”
On Our Terms (buzzsprout.com)
Welcome to On Our Terms, a podcast of the European Network on Independent Living featuring diverse perspectives on independent living and disability activism. Join disabled podcast host Áine Kelly-Costello for a series of interviews.
Our movement is in mourning (disabilitydebrief.org)
Remembering Judy Heumann, and how she changed us.
Mindset Matters: How The Tribe Of Accessibility Is Fundamental To Scaling The Disability Economy (www-forbes-com.cdn.ampproject.org)
This column explores the idea of The Tribe of Accessibility as new way to think about the changing culture of accessibility and its impact on the growth of Disability and Digital Economy of the 21st Century.
Disability Reporting Handbook (mediadiversityaustralia.org)
A journalism resource to guide better reporting of people with disabilities. It outlines key matters and concepts regarding disability, the all-important Golden Rules for reporters, interview and accessibility tips, plus useful contacts.
How to talk to kids about people with facial differences and disabilities (carlyfindlay.com.au)
Today I had a wonderful experience in the post office, very soon after I gave a talk where I received the question “what can parents do to help educate their kids about people who look different?”
Mother of disabled woman who killed herself wins appeal for new inquest (theguardian.com)
Jodey Whiting of Stockton-on-Tees died in 2017 about two weeks after her disability benefit was stopped.
Koalaa wins Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Frontier Challenge (posabilitymagazine.co.uk)
London startup, Koalaa, whose ‘world-first’ soft prosthetics aid inclusivity and comfort for individuals with limb differences, has been crowned the winner of a global competition launched by leading fashion brand, Tommy Hilfiger.
How the Oscars Embraced Accessibility and Inclusion With Asl Interpreters and More (Guest Column) (imdb.com)
IMDb, the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content.
How the Oscars Embraced Accessibility and Inclusion With ASL Interpreters and More (Guest Column) (variety.com)
One year after the landmark success for Best Picture winner “CODA” at the Academy Awards, the 2023 Oscars presented the latest opportunity for Hollywood to show the world where it stands on inclusion and diversity.
New online map highlights accessible playgrounds in New York City (bronx.news12.com)
The map features a green dot that marks a city park or playground with accessible features.
Civil rights leaders talk voting rights, accessibility in SXSW session (thedailytexan.com)
Along with her peers, Arndrea Waters King’s 14-year-old daughter — the only grandchild of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King — sits with fewer rights today than when she was born.
Oklahoma Strikes Down Bill Aiming To End Corporal Punishment For Disabled Students (huffpost.com)
The bill would have banned school personnel from hitting, spanking and slapping disabled students as a form of discipline.
Blindness and injuries reported after US recalls eyedrops (bbc.com)
Patients lose vision and have eyes surgically removed after using eyedrops now recalled in the US.
Lauren Spencer Was Given 5 Years To Live. 20 Years Later, She's Inspiring Others With A Beautiful Life. (huffpost.com)
No one debunks the outdated, sad-disabled-person trope quite like the "Sex Lives of College Girls" actor and activist.
eBay just created a shortcut for building accessible websites (fastcompany.com)
Include is a Figma plug-in that helps designers build more accessible digital tools from the start.
eBay Wants To Make Inclusive Design More Accessible With New Include Design Tool For Developers (forbes.com)
The plugin, designed to work with the popular Figma web-based framework, is meant to help developers prioritize accessibility from the earliest stages, from conception to fruition.
Making websites accessible: adventures in alt text with the Amon Carter Museum of American Art (museumnext.com)
Michelle Padilla and Peggy Speir explain to MuseumNext how their museum, the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, has expanded its Disability, Equity, Accessibility and Inclusion (DEAI) work by undertaking a large-scale alt text program to better serve the community.
These 2 Accessibility Initiatives Will Change the Way You Think About Travel (travelandleisure.com)
The honorees are pushing for more inclusive journeys for all.
One Man Is Increasing Wheelchair Accessibility in Iceland a Ramp at a Time (mymodernmet.com)
"I immediately saw that there were stairs. Just one but it was quite tall. Too tall for me to get it on the wheelchair. For the next five minutes, I sat alone outside the shop while [my family] went inside. I sat and looked at this step. That one step that separated me from my family."
Level Playing Fields: Celebrating 25 years of audio descriptive commentary (mancity.com)
For the past 25 years, Paul Raffo has delivered our audio descriptive commentary so the Club’s blind and partially sighted supporters can understand what’s happening on the pitch.
These adaptive fashion designers are making personal style more accessible (thestar.com)
Adaptive fashion isn’t a new buzzword, but how much progress have we really made in accessible clothing? GTA designers share where we’re at.
How Studio Hyte balances “visual ambition”, accessibility and low-carbon design (designweek.co.uk)
From friendship to a community-focused studio, Studio Hyte is forging a new space beyond an aesthetics vs purpose divide.
The Netherlands is still lagging behind in accessibility for wheelchairs (nltimes.nl)
The Netherlands lags behind in accessibility for people with physical disabilities, informed the association de Zonnebloem. They are further advanced in England and Belgium, where people in wheelchairs can often travel completely independently. However, there is a lot of catching up going on, as Efteling presented the plans for the new wheelchair-friendly attraction Danse Macabre this week.
Hip-hop artist Mattmac continues to innovate with accessible clothing line (cbc.ca)
Manitoba-based hip-hop artist and producer Mattmac has unveiled his latest project: a line of merchandise that features braille.
Accessible Writers' Lab gives its case study report (newswire.ca)
TORONTO, March 14, 2023 /CNW/ - Accessible Media Inc. (AMI), in partnership with ReelAbilities Film Festival Toronto and the Miles Nadal JCC, and sponsored by the Canada Media Fund (CMF), has revealed the results of its first-ever Accessible Writers' Lab case study report.
1 in 8 Indians at risk of developing irreversible blindness: Clinical expert (mid-day.com)
Recent statistics by National Health Portal reveal that nearly 40 million individuals, or every eighth person, in India have glaucoma or are at risk of developing it.
The doctors selling bogus treatments to people facing blindness (bbc.com)
A BBC reporter goes undercover and confronts doctors offering bogus treatments for his genetic condition.
ACCESS 2023 Registration (go.3playmedia.com)
Register for ACCESS 2023 to learn, grow, and collectively create a better and more inclusive world for everyone.
Adamorobe, the deaf community in West Africa that developed its own indigenous sign language (face2faceafrica.com)
Adamorobe, a village in the West African nation of Ghana, is known as deaf community. This is because of the high incidence of hereditary form of deafness. But, in the wake of this mishap life placed on them, the community have found an innovative of normalizing their hereditary condition. They have developed their own sign language that have been adopted by both the deaf and hearing people at Adamorobe.
Enabling support for Ukrainian refugees with disabilities in the Republic of Moldova (who.int)
To promote a disability-inclusive response to the refugee crisis in the Republic of Moldova, a WHO-led joint project funded by the United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) has been launched in Chisinau.
1 in 4 British TV Offices Inaccessible to Disabled Talent: Industry Survey Sheds Light on ‘Abysmal’ Failings in Accessibility (variety.com)
A virtual panel organized by Channel 4 has shed light on the findings of the recent Access into Action Industry Access Survey. The Wednesday panel was moderated by Channel 4 journalist Jordan Jarrett-Bryan, and included well-known industry figures like screenwriter Jack Thorne and producer Bryony Arnold.
Renters and Homeowners with Disabilities Struggle with Financial Security and Housing Accessibility (freddiemac.com)
More than one-quarter of all adults in the United States have some type of disability. Individuals with disabilities may have special requirements or need accommodations to live fully and comfortably within their home. According to a recent Freddie Mac survey, renters and homeowners with disabilities are less financially secure than the general population and they struggle with accessibility in their homes.
How inclusive design and intelligent video are addressing the accessibility challenge | Architecture & Design (architectureanddesign.com.au)
A big help in designing truly inclusive systems is in understanding the needs of the end-user — and what’s really meant by ‘disability’.
ACCESS 2023 (3playmedia.com)
ACCESS 2023 takes place on April 27 and 28. Register for this free online accessibility conference featuring accessibility thought leaders.
A Deaf Person’s Dream of Seeing Captioned Broadway Show Realized … Or Was It? (equalentry.com)
I came to New York to see my first-ever captioned live Broadway show. I’ve seen captioned movies at the theater. But I had never attended a live show that had captions. Once, I tried wearing captioned glasses to a show at a local theater. Unfortunately, they didn’t work well. Part of the problem is that the Bluetooth microphone needed to be by the speaker. That wasn’t possible.
Hearing Loss: Life Lessons and Observations Of a Hearing Instrument Specialist (jewishlink.news)
A few years ago, I had a bit of an epiphany. After spending the bulk of my career (and youth) selling advertising for trade magazines in the music industry, I had to face some hard truths. Print magazine budgets were slowly becoming obsolete in favor of much less expensive digital offerings. My industry as a whole had consolidated and changed in a way that constantly left me feeling like I was rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. I decided it was time to jump ship.
Ability Summit (abilitysummit.event.microsoft.com)
Ability Summit may be over for this year but your accessibility journey doesn’t need to stop—in case you missed a session, or any sessions we have them available on demand, along with resources for you to imagine the possibilities of building a more inclusive world for all.
A guide to local accessible activities for Developmental Disabilities Month (myrecordjournal.com)
March is National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (D.D.A.M.), a nationwide event to raise awareness about overall inclusion of people with developmental disabilities. This month is about understanding the myriad ways that members of the disability community navigate challenges, and the promotion of equity in society at large. While many public spaces have a long way to go in the way of accessibility, there are currently a number of spaces and events designed specifically to cater to the all-ability population.
How Do You Add Alternative Text and Metadata to glTF Objects? (equalentry.com)
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines require all non-text content to have a text alternative provided. Though this requirement has existed for over 20 years, there is no official way to add it to 3D content. This article proposes a method for providing and embedding the alternative text into the metadata of the file and having various software platforms recognize it. Here’s how to do that using the glTF file format.
Think of Accessibility as a Gateway to Creativity (adweek.com)
It's time to embrace inclusion as a sublime differentiator that elevates your work.
Why Web Accessibility Is Crucial for Brand Customer Experience (cmswire.com)
A discussion on the importance of web accessibility and the common trouble spots and trends that marketers and brands need to know about.
How Your Brand's Digital Accessibility Can Impact its Reputation (prnewsonline.com)
In this brief Q&A, we caught up with Matisse Hamel-Nelis, VP of Communications, AbleDocs to discuss how a brand's digital accessibility can impact its reputation.
Four Myths Employers Have About People with Disabilities. (globaldisabilityinclusion.com)
Diversity in the workplace pays huge dividends. Period. That fact has been proven by dozens of sophisticated studies. Including this study, “Delivering Through Diversity” from McKinsey.
Tour the Google Accessibility Discovery Centre in London (applause.com)
Take a tour of Google's Accessibility Discovery Centre in London, where the general public can learn about assistive technologies for people with disabilities.
Revolutionizing Accessibility: The Story of Purple Lens (houseofventures.io)
Accessibility solutions are critical for people with disabilities to navigate the digital world. I was eager to learn more about what Purple Lens is doing differently.
Guide for Students with Disabilities: Challenges, College Support, Tips for Parents (ivypanda.com)
Transitioning from high school to college can be a big challenge for students, especially when they start that new chapter in their life independently, without friends or family. When college kids get involved in classes and extracurricular activities, their stress levels often skyrocket. However, students with disabilities usually face even more challenges.
Adult Autism Waiver (AAW) Provider Resource Guide Now Available (paproviders.org)
ODP Announcement 23-026 announces the release of a new Adult Autism Waiver (AAW) Provider Resource Guide. The guide is available online.
How Will AI Change the Web Development in The Future? (sociobits.org)
AI is evolving in every sector like finance, IT, and many more. Here you will get the full description of how AI Change the Web Development in The Future.
ChatGPT on Accessibility Scanners vs Manual Testing (convergeaccessibility.com)
The Open AI's ChatGPT artificial intelligence engine provides input on using accessibility scanners verse manual accessibility testing.
ADA and Website Accessibility Recap (blog.usablenet.com)
Read insights, and news on ADA, website accessibility, digital accessibility, and WCAG from the first few months of 2023 - all in one place.
Case Study - Video Case Study: Employers Focus on Accessibility (askearn.org)
Learn how companies like Microsoft and T-Mobile are managing, measuring, and communicating about accessibility.
More like persecution than support (disabilitydebrief.org)
Protests in Poland, ways to cheat inclusion, and news from over 50 countries.
Digital Accessibility Legal Update (youtube.com)
Kristina Launey will provide an update on developments and trends in the law governing website accessibility, lawsuits, demand letters, court decisions, and more.
Be My Eyes Announces New Tool Powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4 to Improve Accessibility for People Who are Blind or Have Low-Vision (businesswire.com)
Virtual Volunteer™ is the first-ever AI-powered digital visual assistant powered by OpenAI’s new GPT-4 language model.
Samsung Electronics Rises in Global Rankings for Digital Inclusion and Accessibility Commitments (pickool.net)
Samsung Electronics has been ranked seventh out of 200 companies in the World Benchmarking Alliance's (WBA) 2023 Digital Inclusion Benchmark.
Equalize Digital Raises Pre-Seed Funding for Expanding Accessibility Checker Plugin Development (wptavern.com)
Equalize Digital, a WordPress accessibility products and consulting company, has received an undisclosed amount of pre-seed funding from Emilia Capital, the investment company owned by Joost de Valk and Marieke van de Rakt. The investment will be used to accelerate the growth of Equalize Digital’s Accessibility Checker plugin, a tool for auditing websites for WCAG, ADA, and Section 508 accessibility errors.
Clinical Trial Shows Wrist Device Significantly Reduces Tics in Tourette Syndrome (neurosciencenews.com)
A new wrist device designed to help control symptoms of Tourette syndrome reduces the severity and frequency of tics.
Sony Exhibits at the World's Largest International Conference on Accessibility (yahoo.com)
Sony Group Corporation (Sony) announced today that Sony will have an exhibit at the world's largest international conference on accessibility, the "CSUN Assistive Technology Conference 2023", taking place in Anaheim, California, March 13 to 17, 2023.
A Microsoft 365 accessibility assistant will make content easier to see (pcworld.com)
Microsoft's Accessibility Summit features a new tool for Microsoft 365, Accessibility Assistant, which will optimize your content for those who can't see well.
Cardzilla (cardzilla.ws)
A fast & simple way to display your messages in large text.
New Prizes Focus on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (nrel.gov)
The American-Made program, administered by NREL, features a collection of prizes designed to lower the barriers of entry to government funding, making the reward for great innovations accessible to all.
Historic Reading building will soon have wheelchair accessibility (readingeagle.com)
An architectural gem in Reading is about to become much more accessible to the entire community.
How Owlchemy Labs Is Making VR More Accessible (vrscout.com)
A new update for Cosmonious High introduces several features designed to make the experience accessible to players with visual impairments.
Accessibility Community Spotlight: Developing Project Leonardo (youtube.com)
Go behind the scenes of Project Leonardo’s development as we discuss its origin, our collaboration with the accessibility community, and how we’re crafting features to help players with disabilities overcome gameplay barriers.
Disability News and Mental Health, What’s happening with disability benefits? (bbc.co.uk)
The disability minister speaks exclusively to AA about the Budget
Remembering Judy Heumann: ‘Changing the Face of Disability in Media’ (documentary.org)
Over the past week, IDA collected tributes to Judith "Judy" Heumann from those who knew her and were influenced, advised, or galvanized by her disability rights activism, mentorship, and relational world-building. These written memorials are introduced by Jim LeBrecht, who wrote a piece that places Judy's interest in documentary film and the representation of people with disabilities in context within our nonfiction film ecosystem.
Covid Worsened a Health Crisis Among Pregnant Women (nytimes.com)
In 2021, deaths of pregnant women soared by 40 percent in the United States, according to new government figures. Here’s how one family coped after the virus threatened a pregnant mother.
Including the World: One City at a Time (diverseabilitymagazine.com)
He realized that he had benefited from rights in the United States that were missing in many parts of the world.
10 Tips for Finding an Ehlers-Danlos Patient Advocate (themighty.com)
Find someone who understands your struggles and can offer support, advice, and a healthy dose of humor.
What It's Like to Face Each Day With Rare Disease (themighty.com)
"I should be the one deciding if I would rather have 10 years with a better quality of life. It should be my choice."
How to support your disabled colleagues (lifeofablindgirl.com)
At the time of writing, it’s 2022. Yet disabled people are still being overlooked when it comes to employment. Our skills and talents are being ignored. Barriers are being placed in front of us, even before we’ve had the chance to prove ourselves.
The Representation of Modern and Contemporary Disability Art: The Living Museum at Alkmaar (disabilityarts.online)
Rachel Gadsden expands upon her ongoing practice-based research PhD with Loughborough University, asking questions around mortality, confinement, constriction and the space the body inhabits, sharing her recent visit to the Van Gogh museum and The Living Museum in Alkmaar, run by Helen Roeten.
2023 Academy Awards: Representation of ADHD and Down Syndrome Win Big (respectability.org)
During Sunday’s Academy Awards, many firsts were celebrated in terms of diversity and inclusion, including disability representation.
Seeking Strengths How SEEC Helped Me Find a Fit (publications.ici.umn.edu)
Hallem Martin and Courtney Murray discuss Hallem’s career strengths and interests.
Providing Employment Supports in a Diverse Community (publications.ici.umn.edu)
Silver Spring, Maryland is often referred to as one of the most diverse communities in the United States. A visit to a local restaurant or showing up at a local high school football game is all it takes to recognize that the assets of this community come from its diversity. While cultural, socio-economic, religious, and household diversity can be found across the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, nowhere is it more noticeable than in Silver Spring. SEEC’s stakeholders, including staff, people supported, and employer partners, reflect that diversity.
Workforce: Bearing the Cost of Inclusion (publications.ici.umn.edu)
The shift from institutions to community inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) over the last 30 years happened in large part because of the dedication of direct support professionals (DSPs). Their work has made possible the disability field’s definition of community as it moved the goalpost from “not being in an institution,” to “being in the community,” and, now, to “being of the community and belonging.”
My Perspective: We Need to do More (publications.ici.umn.edu)
Fighting for people with disabilities in the criminal justice system has been one of my passions for many years, ever since Bob Perske made me aware of the Johnny Wilson case. [Wilson was wrongfully convicted in a 1986 murder and served nine years in prison before he was pardoned]. The system is a hard, inaccessible place for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD), who frequently do not understand what’s happening. By the time agencies or advocates find out about their situation, it is often too late. When someone is first arrested and put in a room with detectives, they are alone and don’t understand how to protect themselves.
The Criminal Justice Advocacy Program (publications.ici.umn.edu)
The Arc of New Jersey is the state’s largest organization advocating for and serving children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families. Formed in 1949 by families and caregivers of children with IDD who yearned for camaraderie, support, and the desire to advocate for their family member’s needs, the group met in local churches, clubs, and event halls. They realized their efforts would create more change if they collaborated, and in 1972, as they gained momentum, they formed the Citizen Advocacy Program to provide one-to-one assistance and training. This expanded as the community’s needs became more evident. Noticing that individuals with IDD often became entangled within the criminal justice system, many times inadvertently, the program began providing training geared to law enforcement. Later, this work became the Criminal Justice Education Project, a precursor to the Developmentally Disabled Offenders Program (DDOP). The goal of this program, similar to the present day, was to facilitate understanding among personnel within the criminal justice sector of the specific needs, interests, and characteristics of individuals with IDD. This outreach included probation, parole, and correction officers, as well as judges, public defenders, and prosecutors. The program’s efficacy and unique focus continued to garner attention from the IDD community and beyond. In the early 2000s, DDOP changed its name to the Criminal Justice Advocacy Program (CJAP).
Responders Can Do More to Help (publications.ici.umn.edu)
Youth with disabilities face all the typical risk factors for being exploited or victimized that all young people face, and more. Potential predators view youth with disabilities as weak and unable to take care of themselves, and often assume they can get away with abuse because the victims won’t be believed. Low reporting and conviction rates back this up. Perhaps even worse, when an abuser is a family member or someone providing care, youth with disabilities may feel pressure to stay silent for long periods of time. People with disabilities who are immigrants, meanwhile, may be dependent on an abusive relationship for citizenship or immigration status.
Criminal Justice: Why Is This Happening? (publications.ici.umn.edu)
Research shows that people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) encounter the criminal justice system as victims, alleged offenders, or people convicted of a crime at a higher rate than the general population. According to a November 2021 Bureau of Justice Statistics report , violent crime against people with disabilities occurred at a rate almost four times the rate for people without disabilities. Research also tells us that people with intellectual disability (ID) experience sexual violence between four and six times the rate of individuals without disabilities. People with cognitive disabilities, including IDD, had the highest rate of victimization among disability types. The rate of violent victimization against people with disabilities who are Hispanic was higher than the rate for people with disabilities who are Black and those who were non-Hispanic white, according to the data. Other research, although limited, suggests that people with intellectual disability are overrepresented in the jail and prison population.
Don’t Put Me in a Box (publications.ici.umn.edu)
With three Black sons, I (Donné) don’t have the luxury of not talking about the racial divide, and our sons have experienced real-world differences first hand. That is why it has always been important to my husband, Ed, and I to emphasize education and get them all enrolled in rigorous courses, including language immersion. This was important for me, because as a mom who grew up in the same school district my kids are now in, I know that special programs can shield you from a lot of general discrimination. It’s just the culture of these programs. As a student, I was in honors classes and I could see the other students not being treated the same as we were. That distinction was used to treat people like their value is not as high as others. Even though I don’t value that, I didn’t want my children to be guinea pigs or in a situation where their value was seen as less-than.
Embedding Identity (publications.ici.umn.edu)
Despite the proliferation of academic courses promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, you've argued that the frequent marginalization of these efforts compromises progress, suggesting that identity issues should be embedded in every research project we do, from idea formation to methodology to execution. How do you think about doing this from a practical standpoint as a student and future researcher? Does it go beyond just involving people of color with disabilities in research?
Coming Home: Why I’m Fighting for Others’ Freedom (publications.ici.umn.edu)
My parents divorced when I was 3 and my sister was a newborn, and my mother raised the two of us. Until I was in about first grade, we lived in shelters, motels, and for a couple of years, with my grandparents. When we were living in motels there was no refrigerator or hot food, so we ate out of a cooler. My mom was trained as a dentist but had physical disabilities that made it impossible for her to work, so we lived on disability payments.
Two Cultures, One Challenge (publications.ici.umn.edu)
I’ve lived in Chesapeake all my life, and I love that I'm well-grounded in the area and know my community well. I am still friends with people I went to elementary school with, and I am thankful for our memories. I believe my community has helped my growth as an individual. My mother moved to America from South Korea after meeting my father while he was stationed there. My father's side of the family is from rural North Carolina. Many people don't realize the two cultures have much in common, both being family-centered. This means that when we need help, we go to our family first. This affected my early childhood because I did not receive many disability services, which makes me more grateful for what I have now. My mother fought hard to get me into the general education classroom in the third grade. I'm very thankful she did this because not only did I receive an excellent education, I made so many friends. Some people may wonder how I could be grateful for hardships, but I believe that they made me learn how to work hard and never give up.
Belonging Without Borders (publications.ici.umn.edu)
Muslim immigrants account for 58% of America’s Muslim diaspora, notably hailing from more than 75 countries, according to a 2018 Pew Research Center report . They speak diverse languages, have various cultural affiliations, and differ in their practice of Islam. Although they are not a monolith, their faith communities often serve as an integral component of their religious and social well-being. For families of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), however, finding a fit within their faith-based communities is often a challenge.
Our Experience: Race and Disability (publications.ici.umn.edu)
Often, when someone with a disability reaches a certain age, all services stop. Families looking for what’s next often find slim pickings. Finding a job can be very difficult because you’re depending on county job placement services that vary in quality, and social lives change because school no longer provides that framework.
Makom Takes Its Place (publications.ici.umn.edu)
Makom, as it is known today, was founded in 1982. As with organizations like it across the United States, Makom was created by families who were no longer willing to accept the notion that people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) were destined to live in institutional “care.” Rather, the founders of Makom envisioned lives of abundance among their adult children with IDD, right smack-dab in the midst of the communities into which they were born.
A Job to Finish (publications.ici.umn.edu)
"My mom got me my first job. It was at a McDonald’s in Cincinnati, where she was working. She told them they had to hire me or she wasn’t going to work there anymore, so they hired me. I have a strong mom."
Employment: The Multiplier Effect (publications.ici.umn.edu)
People with disabilities, particularly people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD), generally have very limited access to employment, and the data show a multiplier effect among workers with disabilities from historically marginalized communities. Less is known, about how and why these disparities persist.
The Importance of Home (publications.ici.umn.edu)
Particularly for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), the last several decades have seen an enormous shift away from living in large institutional settings to living at home with family members or in smaller group settings. The rise of home and community-based services has been tracked by the University of Minnesota’s Residential Information Systems Project (RISP), which charted the peak in the number of people with IDD in state institutions in the late 1960s at about 200,000 individuals. Today, about 16,200 remain in state institutions, and 17 states and the District of Columbia have closed all of their large, state-run facilities for people with IDD. Nationally, the number of people in intermediate-care facilities for people with IDD has also declined significantly. Today, most people with IDD, whether they get funded supports or not, are living at home with family members throughout their lives. And nearly 60 percent of people who are receiving services from the IDD service system are living at home with family.
Charting the Lifecourse: A Human-Centric Framework (publications.ici.umn.edu)
Life is a journey filled with unique experiences and opportunities. For people with disabilities and their families, additional information and supports are often needed to navigate and plan for the life they want. The Charting the LifeCourse (CtLC) framework is an authentic, grassroots movement driven by the core belief that all people have the right to live, love, work, play, and pursue their life aspirations. The framework was created to help individuals and families of all abilities and ages develop a vision for a good life and discover what it takes to live the life they desire. The tools help explore life possibilities, organize personal goals, and identify needed services and supports. What began with a question about what supports individuals and their families need has evolved into a transformative, human-centric movement impacting policies and practices across the country.
One Size Doesn’t Fit All Families (publications.ici.umn.edu)
Families have always been the primary source of support for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). In the United States, an estimated 80% of individuals with IDD are thought to get support from their families. More than half of all recipients of Medicaid-funded supports and services for people with IDD live with their families.
Contexts in Social Inclusion and Belonging (publications.ici.umn.edu)
Disability research has largely ignored factors affecting social inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) from minoritized racial, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic groups. The field of IDD as a whole, however, is beginning to recognize that social inclusion plays a critical role in the opportunities and choices individuals with IDD encounter during their lives and that a person’s social identities play a role in those opportunities. Importantly, then, we must better understand how intersecting identities, including disability identity, affect community participation, relationships, and, ultimately, belonging.
Representation Matters (publications.ici.umn.edu)
"I am a Paralympic medalist, an Indian adoptee, a disabled woman who uses a wheelchair, a person of color, a researcher, and an activist. I was adopted from India when I was two months old and got sick with transverse myelitis when I was just four and a half months old. I initially struggled, until I found the power of representation through the disability community. This community taught me how to live my life with a disability, to learn alongside people with many different disabilities."
Access and Awareness (publications.ici.umn.edu)
"Being a retired U.S. Navy man, I kind of figured I could handle Chloe’s needs related to her disability. Chloe is 13 and has Angelman syndrome, a genetic disorder causing developmental delays, intellectual disability, and seizures, among other issues."
Disability & Philanthropy Webinar Series: Disability and Lived Experiences of Communities of Color (disabilityphilanthropy.org)
Applying disability-explicit and race-explicit lenses to philanthropic work is critical to achieving equity and justice.
New Medicaid Waiver Rules Take Effect (disabilityscoop.com)
After nine years and multiple delays, new standards for what count as home and community-based services for people with disabilities will take effect this week, but many states remain ill-prepared.
Special Ed Teacher Fired After Complaining About Understaffing, Lawsuit Says (disabilityscoop.com)
A special education teacher has filed a lawsuit claiming she lost her job after repeatedly complaining to school district officials about understaffing in the classroom.
New Theater Company Is Creating Sensory-Inclusive Productions (disabilityscoop.com)
The theater puts on "sensory-devised" performances that incorporate interactive elements tailored to young children with disabilities.
Carrie Buck Distinguished Fellowship (heller.brandeis.edu)
In 1927, the US Supreme Court issued its infamous decision in the Buck v. Bell case, concerning the involuntary sterilization of Carrie Buck, a woman asserted to be "feeble minded." The majority opinion, which endorsed the involuntary sterilization of disabled people, was signed by Justice Louis Brandeis, after whom Brandeis University is named. "Three generations of imbeciles are enough," the decision pronounced. Over the past seventy years, researchers and advocates at Brandeis University have worked strenuously to combat discrimination against people with disabilities. Yet, despite these efforts, we as a university have not directly addressed the legacy of Buck v. Bell in our work.
Airline Industry Insider Calls Disabled Flyers a "Four-Wheeled Problem," Says They Should Board Last (wheelchairtravel.org)
A media pundit and former Northwest Airlines general manager accuses wheelchair users of faking disabilities to board the airplane early.
5 ways to make traveling with persons with disabilities easier (disabilityinsider.com)
Disability always seems to be a hindrance to many things. In the past, people with disabilities found it hard to travel and go on their vacations. However, with advanced technology, traveling is now easier and possible. Healthcare providers and technology enthusiasts continuously invent and innovate equipment that makes traveling for people with a disability easier.
Denied by AI: How Medicare Advantage plans use algorithms to cut off care for seniors in need (statnews.com)
An algorithm, not a doctor, predicted a rapid recovery for Frances Walter, an 85-year-old Wisconsin woman with a shattered left shoulder and an allergy to pain medicine. In 16.6 days, it estimated, she would be ready to leave her nursing home.
5 Things We've Learned from COVID in Three Years (scientificamerican.com)
The World Health Organization declared the COVID outbreak a pandemic three years ago. Here’s what's changed since then.
HireUp article – Who has the right to talk about the issues facing people with disability? (carlyfindlay.com.au)
I co-wrote an article for HireUp, with Lisa Grech, who is a disabled mother of a disabled child. The article is a letter exchange, debating who should be centred in articles about disability issues.
Research suggests urgent need for stroke prevention and care strategies in Sierra Leone (disabilityinsider.com)
The research into common risk factors for stroke, type of stroke and outcomes of stroke in Sierra Leone uncovers a need for improved stroke care in the region.
Accessible Hotel Booking Platform accessibleGO Joins Wheelchair Travel as a Sponsor (wheelchairtravel.org)
accessibleGO helps disabled travelers book accessible hotel rooms with a personalized service that doesn't reduce you to a number.
Australian employers benefit from hiring persons with disabilities, study finds (disabilityinsider.com)
Employers reap $40 in savings for every dollar invested in workplace adjustments to support staff with disability, according to a research review launched by the Australian Government’s disability employment hub, JobAccess, today.
Research links connections between stroke and sleep disturbances (disabilityinsider.com)
New research shows that nearly two-thirds of those with stroke in Canada show symptoms of disturbed sleep.
Consultation to begin in Australia for Banking Accessibility Standards review (disabilityinsider.com)
The Australian Banking Association (ABA) has engaged the Australian Network on Disability (AND) to undertake a review of the ABA Accessibility Principles for Banking Services.
UN deputy chief sees challenges facing children, persons with disabilities in Lebanon (disabilityinsider.com)
During a visit to a center for street children in Beirut, Lebanon, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said: “Children should be allowed to be children. They should enjoy their rights to education, to health, to safe environment and to not feeling the pressures of an adult at a child’s age.”
Budget 2023: will it lift Britain’s economic gloom? Our panel give their verdict (theguardian.com)
Jeremy Hunt has announced reforms to childcare, pensions and disability benefits. What do they mean for the economy?
Four Myths Employers Have About People with Disabilities. (globaldisabilityinclusion.com)
Diversity in the workplace pays huge dividends. Period. That fact has been proven by dozens of sophisticated studies. Including this study, “Delivering Through Diversity” from McKinsey. Yet many employers – large, growing, dynamic and otherwise focused on developing a diverse workforce – repeat myths about people with disabilities. Unfortunately, perpetuating negative stereotypes and myths about employees with disabilities happens all too often. It can keep you from hiring or promoting your next
‘The pain was so bad but the assessors didn’t believe me’ (theguardian.com)
Woman with debilitating pain welcomes plan to scrap work capability assessment but has little trust in ministers’ motives.
Your logical fallacy is no true scotsman (yourlogicalfallacyis.com)
You made what could be called an appeal to purity as a way to dismiss relevant criticisms or flaws of your argument.
Your logical fallacy is slippery slope (yourlogicalfallacyis.com)
You said that if we allow A to happen, then Z will eventually happen too, therefore A should not happen.
Your logical fallacy is personal incredulity (yourlogicalfallacyis.com)
Because you found something difficult to understand, or are unaware of how it works, you made out like it's probably not true.
Thou shalt not commit logical fallacies (yourlogicalfallacyis.com)
A logical fallacy is a flaw in reasoning. Logical fallacies are like tricks or illusions of thought, and they're often very sneakily used by politicians and the media to fool people. Don't be fooled! This website has been designed to help you identify and call out dodgy logic wherever it may raise its ugly, incoherent head.
10 things to know about how social media affects teens' brains (npr.org)
Eye-opening testimony from a top scientist offers a useful primer on the role social media may play in the teen mental health crisis.
4 Tips For Engaging With Disabled People On Social Media (forbes.com)
What can we do to make social media a more positive environment for people with disabilities?
New Disabled South (newdisabledsouth.org)
Justice and liberation for disabled people in the South.
Short History of the 504 Sit in (dredf.org)
Before section 504, responsibility for the consequences of disability rested only on the shoulders of the person with a disability rather than being understood as a societal responsibility. Section 504 dramatically changed that societal and legal perception.
Judith Heumann’s Fight for Disability Rights (feat. Ali Stroker) (youtube.com)
It took radical action to make the federal government care about the rights of Americans with disabilities, but activists like Judith Heumann were up to the challenge.
North Country Center for Independence (ncci-online.com)
Services and advocacy for people with disabilities in the North Country region of New York. Accessibility, home care, peer counseling, independent living skills, ombudsman, disability activism, disability rights.
Crip Camp (cripcamp.com)
A Disability Revolution
Activist Judy Heumann led a reimagining of what it means to be disabled (npr.org)
Heumann was instrumental in pushing to expand the civil rights of Americans with disabilities and continued to advocate for disability rights around the globe. She died on Saturday at age 75.
A Disability Advocacy Startup Strives To Model Its Own Mission (forbes.com)
Disability communities around the U.S. are getting to know a new advocacy organization, New Disabled South.
Fair Fight (fairfight.com)
Join our fight for free and fair elections!
From Assessment to Participation – Supporting Individual Preferences to Find Their Faith Community (respectability.org)
Learn how Evergreen utilizes its successful approach to support an individual’s preferences and participation in their chosen spiritual and religious expressions.
Hunt’s disability plans put 1 million people at risk of losing £350 a month, IFS says (theguardian.com)
Charities and disability campaigners say chancellor’s budget proposals are more ‘stick than carrot’.
How an Autism Diagnosis at 65 Shook My Sense of Self (themighty.com)
"I began to realize that I am not who I believed myself to be."
Useful Disability Aids That Make Life Easier at Home (despitepain.com)
One of the hardest parts of living with illness or pain is often accepting that you need some extra help. It can feel like admitting defeat – but it’s not admitting defeat at all. In reality, it’s far from that – it’s actually being sensible and doing what’s right for you. Extra help might need to come from another person, but there are so many useful disability aids which can also be used to help. They can make life easier and safer and can allow you to maintain some independence.
How to manage your disposable income - Abilities Canada (abilities.ca)
To have disposable income means that money is left over once all the essential bills and costs of living are paid. It’s a luxury to have and people have varying degrees of it, but in any case, you’ll want to learn more about how to manage it to make it go further.
Remembering the Last of the Normal Days (themighty.com)
"As I look at myself before I began this journey with mental illness, I am grateful that I stayed alive for this life that has come after."
How to Achieve Work-Life Balance Working From Home (abilities.ca)
The latest data shows that about 16% of companies are fully remote, while approximately 40% offer a hybrid model of work.
Building an Inclusive Workforce Development was “The Point” (respectability.org)
"The Point" conference, attended by RespectAbility's Jimmy Fremgen, featured a whirlwind of trainings, hands-on activities, and mentorship.
The Role 'Debby Downer' Plays in My Mental Health (themighty.com)
"What if negative thoughts are a subconscious way of protecting us?"
British Sign Language in schools (posabilitymagazine.co.uk)
"I have recently signed up for an online course to learn British Sign Language (BSL). This has been something that I have wanted to do for years, and I am annoyed at myself for not having committed sooner. I know some basic Spanish, and I could probably get by with the little Italian and French that I know, all from what I was taught at school, so why do I not know any BSL, the language that is used by approximately 151,000 people in the UK?"
President Biden's Budget and the Disability Community (respectability.org)
Biden's budget has tremendous potential to advance the disability community, but only if disabled people are included and remain vigilant.
Making Social Connections on my Journey to Blindness (blindnewworld.org)
Staying active and building social connections matter to David Yerks-Young - so he's creating blindness communities, both online and off.
Overcoming Social Barriers as a Writer with a Disability (madinamerica.com)
Finally, I realized that my schizophrenia was not a disorder, but a very complex problem that I could solve by myself.
A Disability Advocacy Startup Strives To Model Its Own Mission (forbes.com)
Disability communities around the U.S. are getting to know a new advocacy organization, New Disabled South.
UMich TEDx hosts 14th annual conference to discuss adapting (michigandaily.com)
In TEDx's "Life's a Glitch" event, eight speakers were invited to share their stories on the stage of the Power Center on Friday night.
ADHD and college success: How these students succeed and enjoy college (byuiscroll1.org)
Over 16% of college students have diagnosed ADHD; two BYU-I students share their experiences surviving and thriving in college.
How It Feels to Finally Be Recognized as a Disabled Person (themighty.com)
"It makes me wonder why I was left to struggle for so long without help."
Firebuds: “All That Jazzy” Features Intersectionality in Disability Representation (respectability.org)
"In order to build inclusivity and normalize the diversity in our world, we have to start by teaching our children." - Lauren "Lolo" Spencer.
New Legislation: The Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act of 2023 (respectability.org)
A new bill aims to end the exception to the minimum wage that allows certain employers of disabled people to pay wages significantly under the minimum wage.
Data Corner for March 2023 (respectability.org)
We examined the National Trends In Disability Employment (nTIDE) and their work tracking employment for people with disabilities.
David Pérez (axschat.com)
David Pérez is a distinguished organizational leader with an MBA and a deep commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion. He possesses extensive expertise in digital transformation, team leadership, and communication, which he has honed over the course of his career. David has a proven track record of developing effective communication strategies and organizing events that promote cultural diversity, and he is dedicated to creating inclusive environments that drive positive change.
Judy Heumann - The Mother of the Disability Rights Movement (kamredlawsk.com)
It’s Women’s History Month and I want to highlight Judy Heumann; a significant disabled activist who recently passed away on March 4th. Much of the access disabled people have today is because of Judy’s work that began in the 70s.
Fat People Lose With Brendan Fraser's Oscars Win (popsugar.co.uk)
Brendan Fraser's Oscars win for The Whale is marred by the movie's fatphobic legacy, including the use of a fat suit and prosthetics.
Accessible Writers’ Lab (raffto.ca)
The Accessible Writers’ Lab is a national program, designed by Ophira Calof, creating space for 6 disabled writers to experiment with what an accessible writing process might look like for them.
With Climate Change, Comes More Potential Complications for People with Lupus (richmondpulse.org)
Heat waves and wildfires, worsened by climate change, exacerbate cardiovascular and respiratory issues and make managing chronic illnesses more difficult.
Study: Disabled People Less Likely to Be Prescribed Medication for Opioid Disorder (usnews.com)
People with disabilities are less likely to receive proven prescription drug treatments for opioid abuse disorder, a new study finds.
RIDICULOUS EXCUSES NOT TO BE INCLUSIVE (youtube.com)
Over the past few months, with the help of associations from all over the world, we have been asking people with Down syndrome and their families, what excuses they have heard for being excluded from education, sports, jobs, and other opportunities. Some of these excuses were so incredibly ridiculous that they deserved to be brought to life and properly celebrated with a film. Find more #RidiculousExcuses on TikTok, our valued media partner for this year’s initiative.
Download the Inklusion Guide (inklusionguide.org)
The Inklusion Guide provides a checklist of best-practice provisions for in-person, online, and hybrid events for both authors and audiences. It will give tips on funding access provision, outline the importance of hiring disabled staff, provide advice and experience from disabled authors, use stats to back up our recommendations, and list further resources.
'Mass-disabling event': How long COVID could wreak havoc on Canada's labour market (financialpost.com)
Long COVID threatens to take people out of the workforce in a mass-disabling event, which could end up bruising the economy. Read more.
Deaf singer Ali triumphs with 'Voice' Blind Audition: 'I can feel the music. … That's my superpower.' (yahoo.com)
If you had lined up all the singers that we've heard so far and then said, 'Pick which one is hearing-impaired,' you would be the probably the last one that I would say," said Blake Shelton. "That vocal was just incredible!"
The disabled villain: why sensitivity reading can’t kill off this ugly trope (theguardian.com)
The long read: For centuries, fictional narratives have used outer difference to telegraph inner monstrosity. As someone who uses a wheelchair, I’ve learned you can’t just edit out a few slurs or bad words to fix this – it’s often baked deep into the story
Children infected with Omicron more likely to have repeat ER visits: Canadian study (ctvnews.ca)
A new study of more than 1,400 Canadian children who contracted COVID-19 has found that fever and cough were associated more heavily with Omicron and Delta variants, but that serious outcomes like hospitalization and being moved to the intensive care unit remained even across all variants.
Even Professional Health Advocates Need Help Sometimes (themighty.com)
"No one should have to ignore the emotional and physical stress of health issues, in order to manage the administrative side of being a patient. They did for me what I do for others, but was unable to do for myself."
Star tells aspiring actors with Down's Syndrome 'don’t let people say you can’t' (itv.com)
Belfast actor James Martin is receiving glowing praise for his starring role in new award-winning black comedy short film ‘An Irish Goodbye’.